So there's a lot of interesting reading in the FEC reports that were filed yesterday, and I'll be posting tidbits and thoughts from those filings soon. But here's the big one that jumped out at me.
From John Garamendi's home page
Listed under the heading of "Debts and Obligations," is an item showing that John Garamendi's Congressional campaign owes $1005.72 to Black Diamond Graphics for "campaign volunteer and staff shirts." A very little checking with Black Diamond Graphics reveals, though, that "Well, it's really hard to find tee-shirts that are made in America. There are only one or two companies left that still manufacture clothing in the USA, and they're real expensive." Fancy that. Oh, and as far as the screen printing and embroidery services that it offers, no, Black Diamond Graphics is not a union shop.
Now, they do have the advantage of being located in Calaveras County, in John Garamendi's home district -- oh, wait. That's CA-03.
But seriously, if you are involved in local Democratic politics in any way, shape, or form, you probably know that there's a wonderful union shop over the hill in Berkeley where everything is union-made -- it's called Alliance Graphics. Sure their goods are more expensive. That's because they buy union-made materials and treat their workers with dignity -- something that in most circles is considered to be a strongly-held Democratic value.
But the message that I'm receiving from John Garamendi is that he wants to go to Washington, DC to fight for Democratic values and American jobs; he just doesn't believe in putting his money where his mouth is.
[Update] on the flip... |
| [Update]: The plot thickens.
A Garamendi staffer sent me a photo of the tee-shirts in question and pointed out the union bug at the bottom of the design on the back of the shirt. But a phone call to Black Diamond Graphics asking if it is a union shop elicited the answer "No."
So if a non-union shop is printing union bugs on Democratic campaign material, the original sin has just been compounded dramatically.
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